Lainey Wilson and Parker McCollum are already early awards winners ahead of Monday’s (March 7) ACM Awards, set to be held in Las Vegas.
Wilson has been named this year’s ACM new female artist of the year winner, while McCollum is the new male artist of the year winner. Wilson and McCollum will each perform at the upcoming ACM Awards.
Hitmaker Miranda Lambert surprised both McCollum and Wilson with the news of their early ACM wins, breaking the news via a video call with each of them.
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After Lambert told the news to her fellow Texan McCollum, he was visibly shocked, saying, “Are you joking, you’re dead serious? I won?”
“When I see you next, let’s toast and share a cold one, because I’m so proud of you,” Lambert told McCollum.
Upon hearing the news of her new female artist of the year win, a visibly emotional Wilson told Lambert, “If there is anyone who understands the freakin’ blood, sweat and tears, it’s you.”
“I’m so happy for you, honey,” Lambert told Wilson. “It’s awesome. You so deserve it. You’re my fave, and I’ve loved getting to be friends with you and when I heard [the news] yesterday, I was like, ‘This is so good.’ It made my heart happy.”
Wilson’s No. 1 Billboard Country Airplay hit, “Things a Man Oughta Know,” is also nominated for song of the year at the upcoming ACM Awards. During last week’s Country Radio Seminar New Faces of Country Music concert, in addition to performing her first No. 1 hit, Wilson also debuted her upcoming track, “Heart Like a Truck.”
McCollum was also a CRS New Faces honoree last week, and last year he released his debut major label album Gold Chain Cowboy, spearheaded by his top 5 Billboard Country Airplay hit “To Be Loved by You.”